


Nightmares

by quiescently



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-15 11:53:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5784373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiescently/pseuds/quiescently
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Barry has a nightmare, Oliver is there to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> So this is loosely based on episode 2x10 of The Flash where Barry has a nightmare except Barry and Oliver are already together in this. Enjoy!

Bloody, bruised, beaten, Joe was kneeling, head bowed, hands tied behind his back, covered in the darkness of Zoom's shadow. In swift movement, Zoom grasped Joe's face with one hand and lifted him of the ground, painfully squeezing his cheeks into his teeth causing Joe to let out a loud penetrating scream. The blue lighting crackled around Zoom, as he tilted his head to one side.

"Be prepared to suffer, Flash," his guttural voice echoed through the room. "Watch as I take everything you love."

 Zoom's free hand shot up in the air and started vibrating violently, inching towards Joe's chest. The lighting started sputtering faster and louder, illuminating Joe's pained face. Joe howled in agony as Zoom's hand entered his body.

Barry desperately wanted to rush in, save Joe, but his legs were numb, and he could not move. All he could do was scream Joe's name as he watched him die. His shoulders started shaking, and he thought he could hear Joe calling his name as his vision became foggy.

"Barry!"

No wait, that voice wasn't Joe's.

"Barry wake up!"

***

Barry jumped up, gasping for air, sweat dripping down his face. He jerked his head looking around the bedroom to find Oliver beside him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed and his lips turned in a frown as he stared intently at Barry. 

"Barry, it was just a dream."

Barry exhaled heavily and buried his face in his own hands. Oliver stroked his back as his breathing slowly became steady. Barry dropped his hands to the bead and turned his head to the floor, not wanting to see the worry he caused for his boyfriend. He felt Oliver gently grabbing his hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. Barry pulled away and placed his feet on the ground. 

"I need a glass of water." And with that, Barry rushed out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and into the kitchen in the blink of an eye. He took a sip of water as he glanced at the clock. 2:12 A.M. He groaned and laced his fingers through his hair and glared at the counter. He tried to get the image of Joe in pain out of his mind. He thought a drink might help him forget, but then he remembered about his pesky meta-human metabolism. He sarcastically chuckled as he thought to himself, ' _Barry Allen, the man with a world, no wait, two worlds of problems, unable to drown them in alcohol._ ' Barry felt useless, unable to drink, unable to sleep, unable to protect his city from Zoom.

Barry heard his boyfriend's footsteps in the kitchen, but he refused to look up from the counter to see him. He felt Oliver gently touch the hand still tangled in his hair. And then Oliver started to speak. 

"You know, tea would be much more helpful than water." 

Barry looked up from the counter. He saw his boyfriend standing with a small smile, but a worried look in his eyes. 

"Caffeine doesn't do anything to me."

"It's not about the caffeine, Barry. The scent alone will help you relax."

"Well tea is basically water with leaves in it, so," Barry gestured to his glass. "Close enough."

Oliver pursed his lips and squinted his eyes. For a few seconds, they just stared at each other. 

"I'm going to make us some tea." Oliver finally said.

Barry rolled his eyes and groaned before once again burring in face in his arms. He tried to concentrate on the clanking of pots and the sound of water rushing out the faucet as Oliver made him tea, anything to distract him from the nightmare he just had, but it wasn't working. All he could think about was the look on Joe's face as Zoom tore his heart out. Yeah, he knew it wasn't real, but he also worried that it could be. What if he wasn't fast enough? What if he lost everyone he cared about? What if-

_Clack._

Barry jumped, startled by the surprisingly loud sound the teacup made as Oliver placed it on the counter.  

"Drink up." Oliver then, with on eyebrow raised, proceeded to start sipping his own cup.

Barry huffed, but reluctantly took a sip of the tea while slumping back in his chair. After a few more sips, although he was still shaky, he felt slightly more relaxed.

Oliver asked, "Is it working?"

Barry looked at his cup. "Um, yeah. I think it is. What's in this?"

"Chamomile."

Barry nodded and continued to sip his tea. He turned slightly so that he could finally look his boyfriend in the eyes.

"Oliver, do you ever have nightmares about Lian Yu?"

This cause the other man to turn away from Barry's gaze and stare at the walls. Oliver sighed.

"Yeah. They used to be quite frequent four years ago, but I still get the occasional bad dream now."

"What would you do after you woke up?"

Oliver chuckled and turned back to look at Barry. "I used to down a bunch of Whiskey, then go to the foundry and train for hours."

Barry laughed weakly. "Classic Oliver Queen."

"But now, they don't phase me as much. I just go back to sleep."

Barry sighed. "I wish I could go back to sleep."

"Come back to bed. I will help you." Oliver took his hand.

Barry ran his other hand through his hair. "I can't. I can't go back to that dream. I saw Joe... Joe was...Zoom, he was going to..." Barry tried to get the words out of his mouth but he just couldn't. He started to feel tears welling up. He cursed himself for being so pathetic. It was just a dream, he told himself this over and over, but it didn't help. 

"Barry, you don't have to explain." Oliver walked over to place a kiss on his forehead and pull him into his chest. 

"I've already lost my mother. I can't lose another parent, but I'm not sure if I'm fast enough to protect them." Barry sobbed softly into Oliver's chest.

"That not just your burden to bear." Oliver gently stroked Barry's back. "Your friends and I have always got your back."

"But you all are in danger too. Everyone I love is. Every time I open up to someone new, they become a target."

"I think you are underestimating us."

"Eddie and Ronnie, two of the bravest men I knew, died trying to clean up a mess that I caused."

"You're still blaming yourself for the singularity. Barry, they died trying to save a world that we all care about. Stop taking all the blame for everything."

Barry huffed into Oliver's now slightly damp shirt. "I can't save everyone, and I don't know if I can even stop Zoom. I feel powerless."

"Okay but here's the thing," Oliver tilted Barry's chin up so he could see his face. "You are not powerless. You have faced enemies with powers that I never could imagine, and every time you face something new and seemingly impossible to overcome, you take the challenge. And even when you don't win, you stand tall on your feet. It's what I love about you, Barry. Your spirit has brought the light back in my life. It's helped you tackle a mind controlling gorilla, a maniac who controls the weather, and I know it will help you defeat Zoom."

Barry gave his boyfriend a smile. Even though he felt like crap, he was so thankful to have Oliver and his support. Barry leaned in to kiss him.

Oliver pulled away, smirked, and said, "Now stop being a grouch and come back to bed with me."

Barry laughed, "You know they say couples start to resemble each other after a while. I blame my grouchiness on you," he teased.

Oliver just rolled his eyes, "I'm too tired for this."

* * *

Barry took a while to fall asleep. He was still afraid of another nightmare. But he focused on Oliver's breathing and eventually calmed down enough to close his eyes and doze off. It was a peaceful and dreamless sleep. One night down, a life time more to go. But Barry wasn't worried. He knew that Oliver would be there every night by his side.


End file.
